Q.

For the plush carpet parlour detectives amongst us, ‘eavesdrop’ is a call to action. It’s time to sniff out the perfect hiding spot and put an ear to what those miscreants have to say.

Now, where did the word ‘eavesdrop’ come from?

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A.

💧 In ye olde times, an ‘eaves drop’ described an actual drop of water that dripped off the roof onto the earth below.

💧 In the next odd evolution of the word, ‘eavesdrop’ came to describe the place on the ground where these roof drops fell.

💧 Shall we mix it up again, lexicographers? ‘Eavesdropper’ then became the word you’d use to describe a person who hunkered under the eaves trying to listen to the personal conversations inside.

💧 Then, finally, to the current meaning of ‘eavesdrop’: straining to sneak-listen to a private conversation, regardless of where you are standing.

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Which TV detectives inspire the eavesdropping lay-dabblers?

After more than 185 thousand votes this fall, Ranker has some ideas…

Top 14 Best Detectives Of All Time
i.     Columbo, from Columbo
ii.    Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes
iii.   Spencer Reid. Criminal Minds
iv.   Adrian Monk. Monk
v.    Lennie Briscoe. Law & Order
vi.   Olivia Benson. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
vii.  Leroy Jethro Gibbs. NCIS
viii. Jim Rockford. The Rockford Files
ix.   Dana Scully. The X-Files
x.    Thomas Magnum. Magnum, P.I.
xi.   Perry Mason. Perry Mason
xii.  John Munch. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
xiii. Fox Mulder. The X-Files
xiv.  Jessica Fletcher. Murder, She Wrote

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